VS.
The main stream images we see in advertisement go beyond selling a product. They sell an idea, a suggestion, an ideal look. Girls and women have been brainwashed to believe that the women in advertisements today are the women we must aspire to be. This idea is dangerous because not even the women featured in these advertisements are like the ideal they help to create. In "The Beauty Myth" we read "But 'ideal' imagery has become obsessively important to women because it meant to become so. " And wanting to look like these rail thin models objectified in these advertisements creates a self descructive cycle in women both mentally and physically. Women CAN NOT look perfect and can not be the perfect model, mother, wife, daughter, employee, citizen all at the same time as some media will have us think. Perfect is not possible, but what do we do when advertisements have our women thinking scantily clan objectified women is perfection?
The solution is a difficult one to find, however, I believe a series of advertisement campaigns to counteract the images we see everyday is a good start. Although a campaign for positive change regarding the depiction of women in all types of media needs to happen for a larger effect. First we need to EDUCATE our advertisement viewers. Create advertisements that point out whats wrong with mainstream images today. Tell them which advertisments are offensive women and why. Tell them what they already know, that perfection is impossible and the illusion that we can obtain it is a line. Secondly we need this education to be aimed at as young a demigraphic as possible. Mainstream advertisement are targeting younger and younger audiences so why shouldnt these girls know exactly what lie is being feed to them. Girls should know its ok to look different then the women they see in magazines because no one really looks like these women. They should know there rolemodels are imperect and the images they see are adjusted and unreal.
After girls and women know to question the importance, messages, and ideas these images hold then what needs to be done is positive images of girls and women need to be crammed down the throats of viewers the same way negative, generic, offensive images have been. Mass production of images with real women advertising real products and letting us know why they really are important to us. No more guessing what the advertisement is selling. No more offensive sexual innuendos that reduce women to no more then sex objects there for the viewing of men.
I found this blog for young girls that posts educational information of how to disect images and question there message. It shows images to girls and explains why they are offensive as well as showing positive images and advise on how to raise happy healthy girls. There should be more websites like this put up. http://empowering-girls.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html
Educated girls meets intelligent women who will not except or believe the images and the messages they convey.
"Mass production of images with real women advertising real products and letting us know why they really are important to us. No more guessing what the advertisement is selling. No more offensive sexual innuendos that reduce women to no more then sex objects there for the viewing of men." I found this piece within your analysis very vivid and essentially fulfilling to the purpose of what an advertisement should embody. You know, being one of the individuals that commutes everyday to city, it is hard not to find yourself in the wake of an advertisement, in which you find yourself spending the WHOLE train ride (literally) trying to understand the meaning behind it. Consequently, our knowledge of the product is left a crossroad whereby we either choose to create our own meaning (deviated from the media's notion) or we choose to accept it for its faults and purchase without question. That's where education (as you critically expressed) plays an important part because in understanding the ad, you understand the product and therefore understand your purpose as a consumer. Great post Sheila!
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